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Sunday, December 30, 2012

The title fits perfectly to this YA crime novel, but although the cover is a masterpiece, the book is too long a read. Clare, is overly analytic, having several reaction moments throughout the book where she just has to pause ... and ask herself: should I text him back, or not? Is my friend acting strange, or is she simply stressed?

And then there is this old friend from another town named Lincoln who she keeps wanting to call but never does. Did I really need to know about this guy?

Take away all the unnecessary fluff and I would give this 4 stars, easily. The crime scene is well done and the suspects interesting.

And so begins this terrifying tale of justice. Gretchen McNeil impresses her fans from the very start of the book with a detached yet captivating first chapters. We won't kid ourselves by denying the resemblance between Ten and Agatha Christie's And then there were None. But although Christie exhausted her readers by dedicating a chapter to each character in the book, McNeil concentrated on Meg and put us right into the story.

The house reminded me a lot of The Woman in Black movie since the characters either had to take a boat or swim, to cross from one end to the other. A good rule when writing a horror story is to choose a scenario where the characters are trapped, and McNeil succeeded at that as well.

The problem for me was the consistent back and forth action between the boat house and the main house. As well as one electrifying death that seemed too difficult to pull through.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

This book should have been sponsored by Kleenex.
All it takes is one moment and your life can be ruined forever. In the case of a child abduction, not only is one life ruined but several. After Ethan disappeared his parents wouldn't stop arguing His younger brother Blake, fell into the background. Even a ''replacement'' child was born. But now that Ethan has returned to his family, can things go back to normal?

Nooooo! Hence, why the book is so interesting.

By having Ethan remember nothing from his traumatic past, what McMann did was create a different type of tragedy. Here we have a young man who has no memory whatsoever and thus just wants to move on with his life, while the rest of the family are the ones who are stuck forgetting what happened and dealing with guilt and trust issues, often taking it out on him.

Written with an edgy realistic voice, Dead to You, is a heartfelt novel that will leave you praying for a sequel.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Reviewing someone's life should be considered a crime against humanity. Think about it. We all have ups and downs, is it just to have someone who's never met us decide if those moments were entertaining?I'll be the first to admit that Bellstorf did an amazing job drawing the pictures (the cover is totally bookylicious). Just that alone inspires me to read several more graphic novels. The problem isn't the illustrations but that he didn't dig deep enough. Girl meets The Beatles, falls for a member of the band, who instantly falls for her. Yes, instant attraction happens. But not a single fight or disagreement -- c'mon! She enrolls him in painting classes without even asking him and all he can say is "Should I bring my portfolio?" No relationship is that peaceful. By not letting us see any of the characters on a bad day, it made the story a lot less emotional. I kept asking myself ''Who was Stuart Sutcliffe?'' feeling like the odd one out while two friends spoke in code.

And now, without further ado, here is Stuart Sutcliffe with the song that captured Astrid's heart.

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

If you knew someone was about to die would you let them know?It takes an accident for Delaney to ask herself this question. You see, Delaney died that day in the lake. She might have woken up from a coma several days later -- glad nobody pulled the plug -- but it doesn't change the fact that she's different. She can sense the dying. She's fractured.Death is a topic a lot of people avoid discussing until it hits home: a pet, a friend, a parent. We will all eventually have to deal with it. So I was afraid the book would become too depressing of a read, but instead, Megan Miranda twisted the story into a suspenseful tale that left me sweating and feeling very much alive. For those who swear on romance, there is a love story in the background and an interesting new comer named Troy who will stir things up. Vengeance, the sequel is expected in Winter 2014.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Greg Heffley is back, and so is the humor that made the first book a bestseller. This almost makes up for Kinney's last book Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever which seemed to center around the same gags over and over. I am glad to say that this book is a breath of fresh air.

The opening retells Greg's first year and the changes that occurred with the arrival of Manny. It seems there is always someone turning Greg into a third wheel. Add that to a ''three way'' date with Rowley and things get even more complicated.

The only thing missing from the book is Rodrick. His character appears to be ''replaced'' by Greg's uncle who plays a mayor role in this sequel.

Will there be more adventures for Greg Heffley?

----------------> Here is one blogger who will keep her fingers crossed.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Spookygirl is not a paranormal love story. In fact,
there's very little romance involved. This allowed the author to focus on much
more important issues such as bullying and the freedom to be yourself -- whether
you are a ghost waiting to cross over, a jock, a Goth, or a misunderstood girl
nicknamed Spooky.

The character of Violet is well written, sounding like
your average fifteen year old girl. She is scared of not being as good as her
mother in paranormal investigations but still wants to follow her footsteps
even if she has to do it alone. It is obvious that her desire to learn more
about ghosts and helping them crossover has a lot to do with understanding what
happened the night her mother died. Is her mother a ghost? If so why can’t she
see her?

Recommended for readers who are searching for a Nancy
Drew meets Paranormal Activity.